Girl In Armor
by Sylvette-Cross
Summary: What would Meredith Sulez find when she tries to peel off the numerous thick and stubborn layers of Damon Salvatore? Or is it Damon who's trying to peel off Meredith's layers? Im confused. Read and find out! R&R Read and Review please! I couldn't decide if this story is Rated K or T. So, I'll just choose Rated T.


Hey! Sylvette-Cross here. So… if you read from my profile, you'll know that this is my first story in a while, so I hope you enjoy.

And don't forget that maybe tomorrow or the next day, I will be posting the first update of "The Bickering Corner". Read my profile to know what that is. :3

I DO NOT OWN The Vampire Diaries. (Though, I wish I do.) ;)

Enjoy!

"Girl In Armor"

Stab, block, and sidestep.

Stab, block, and sidestep.

Stab, block, and sidestep.

Meredith Sulez didn't know how much time flew. Nor did she care, but apparently her friends do.

She knew that they were there, and she can also feel them watching her. But the young huntress didn't bother to acknowledge them, just yet. Why you ask? Well, it's simple really: They're used to it.

Ever since her friends knew her family heritage of being a hunter-slayer, she didn't bother hiding everything else that was connected to it. Her weapons. Training sessions. All that.

"Meredith!" Bonnie said

I immediately stop in a mid-stab, turning my grey eyes to the redhead, pushed my dark hair out of my eyes, and turned to the rest of the group.

"Hey guys." I said in a tone that didn't indicate how tired I was. "How long have you been watching me?"

Elena was about to answer, but was beaten to it by a boy with silky black hair, and seemingly endless black eyes.

"I thought that a huntress would be able to know everything, including the amount of time she kept us waiting." Damon said, a smirk playing on his lips. "Boy" was hardly an appropriate word to describe Damon.

_More like an overindulged, supper-powerful, over-grown, brat. _Meredith thought.

"And here I thought that a person with an immortal life essence would be patient enough to wait a while. Though, I reckon that you probably prefer to swoop down the street, and take some of your _donators'_ own life essence?" The dark-haired girl asked with clear distaste.

"Meredith, we were watching you for almost an hour." Matt said, clearly amused.

She turned to her watch and almost gaped. It was five-thirty in the afternoon. Meredith tried to control her blush from intensifying, thanking God or whoever that her olive complexion helped. Plus, she isn't really a beginner in controlling her emotions.

"Well," she said, making sure her voice didn't have the intensity it had when she was (verbally) sparring with Damon "you should've called me sooner."

When no one responded, she shrugged and went to the changing room, making sure that the door was locked after getting in, and started to do her usual after-training sessions.

A few minutes later Elena knocked and handed her some clothes.

Meredith was amused. "Elena, this is _my_ house. Remember?"

Elena shrugged "So?"

Now Meredith was even more amused.

"So," I said slowly, as if speaking to a child, "I can just go upstairs and get some clothes of my own. Plus, your clothes barely fit me."

It was true. Meredith was by far taller than the blonde, which almost made Meredith smirk, and Elena roll her eyes. Well, the grey eyed huntress remained to present an ascetic face, _while _Elena rolled her eyes.

"Please," Elena snorted, "they're not _too bad_ of a fit. Plus, I think Bonnie's gonna throw a tantrum if you still have to go upstairs. I mean, what's the point anyway? The beach is close by, so it's not like your gonna wear it for so long."

Meredith noticed that there was something in her friend's lapis lazuli eyes that the huntress identified as mischief.

_She's keeping something form me._ Meredith thought.

But, in horror, Meredith realized that she was backed-up in a corner. The blonde Ice Queen has pointed out 3 rational reasons why she can just borrow her clothes. Meredith, as a person of logic, couldn't help but feel as if that was enough.

_And I have to keep Bonnie from having a tantrum,_ she thought grimly.

Plus, Elena would get suspicious of her dark-haired friend if she could see the logic, but won't accept. She would know that Meredith figured out that something was up.

"Fine." Meredith sighed.

Elena smiled the I-knew-you-couldn't-say-"no"-to-me smile. Which, Meredith knew, left guys groveling at Elena's feet, screeching "We're not worthy!" as if their lives depended on it.

"Okay then, make sure you hurry up. 'Cause Bonnie's not the only one that's getting impatient."

It was always this way: Meredith training her days in and out. Them coming over to knock some "summer fun" into her schedule, her not acknowledging them until they do, some talk, greetings, jokes, and insults later and she's cleaning up.

Meredith came out, newly showered, and hair loosed and swinging at her back.

She cast an amused smile at her friends' "equipment": Beach balls, towels, sunscreen etc. It also amused her that they _still _want to go to the beach when it was almost six.

Elena saw this and shot her an amused smile of her own, saying "Bonnie was practically itching to grab your stave, and drag you to the car."

"Well, I think she got tired of it soon enough." She replied while looking at the redhead that was currently "tanning" in the middle of the room.

"What?" Bonnie questioned while taking of her sunglasses. "You were taking _forever_!"

"I'd have to agree with the little red bird." Damon murmured, though he didn't sound irked like "The little red bird" did. He actually sounded like he was enjoying this. Well, not _this_ particularly-probably his view of Bonnie in her thin engine red two-piece.

I immediately shrugged my jacket off and threw it in Bonnie's face (for good measure, of course).

"Hey! What was that for?" Bonnie said while clutching the jacket.

"We're not at the beach yet, so put your clothes back on." She replied in her best I'm-you-big-sister-so-you-better-listen-to-me voice. Though she and Bonnie weren't real sisters, they still see each other that way- including Elena too, of course.

"Fine" And with pout, stumped her way out of the training room. That was when Meredith realized that she and Damon were the only ones in the room.

_Dammit!_ She swore in her mind. _It just had to be him didn't it? It couldn't be anybody else? Well, __bloody hell__!_

She doesn't particularly _hate_ Damon Salvatore. Just the things he does. His reactions. His way of thinking. His cruelty.

Meredith didn't know what it was, but something- something _strong _stirred inside of her when she takes notice of this particular immortal's aspects. She didn't really have any particular hate for strong feelings either.

She just particularly hates _this_ strong feeling. And she doesn't know why, yet again, _another_ reason why to hate it.

From birth, Meredith was often thought how to create something from nothing, but not without a recipe, or a formula, or _something. _And now, since she doesn't have anything to base on this… this _feeling, _she did what a logical person would in her position. She pinned this feeling as annoyance.

"You are very gallant are you? And also very dense."

Meredith was forced to pull her consciousness to the vampire that was clad in black.

She raised an eyebrow. "And how, oh almighty immortal, have you figured _that_ out?" She said, making sure that every cell in her body contributed to the sarcasm that was applied in that one question.

With an amused glint in his eyes, he merely pointed to her torso.

The huntress was wearing Elena's white shorts, which made it look very… small looking on _her _hips. Plus, she was only wearing a black bikini top. She has given her jacket to Bonnie in order to seal her away from the eyes of the **(**immortal pervert. **1)**

That's when it all clicked, Elena giving her a pair of her shorts, Bonnie deliberately "tanning" only in her bikini, making the two devious girls to hope that Meredith's "older sister instincts" would kick in- and it did, forcing the dark-haired girl to reveal her long bronze legs, and her skinny waist with her full chest.

She willed her body not to blush. Again, thanking any **(**super powerful being in some golden throne **2)** that her olive complexion helped ease any rosiness.

"Why would _you_ point that out? I'm pretty sure that you've seen enough nude women, in your perpetual life to get used to it." Raising an eyebrow, she added, "Apparently, I was wrong. Or is it just that **(**frenzied vampire libido **3)** instinct?"

Damon laughed. It wasn't a sarcastic one, nor was it the cruel, hard sound that makes his enemy's quiver in fear, nor was it the seductive laugh that he uses on his "donators". No, it was a normal, boisterous, and good-hearted laugh; one that made Damon seems almost… _human. _

_No,_ I thought with a trace of desperation, _he's a cruel, menacing, cold-hearted vampire. That's what he is. _

In her desperation, she subconsciously let her mental shields down for a moment- Just a moment. And of course, Damon, being the vampire that he is, caught her thought expertly.

_Shit._

Suddenly, Damon was in front of her, like _right in front of her_.

"Why do you, Ms. Meredith Sulez, always presume that I'm 'a cruel, menacing, cold-hearted vampire', without **(**peeling of my layers?" **4) **Damon said in a surprisingly low voice.

Meredith could feel his warm breath at the base of her neck, and that _did not_ help with this _at all_.

"There is no 'layers to peel'" Meredith said, curtly turning around, and making sure that the ends of her hair slapped the vampire in the cheek. "I've seen what you've done to your 'donators'. It isn't exactly rainbows and ponies, now is it?"

Damon snorted. "What do you expect me to do? Follow the footsteps of my ill-fed brother?"

Somehow Meredith felt that Damon was closer than ever. Physically, I mean. And that scared her. Why? Because Damon reminded her of herself- her _true self, _without the artificial facade of being calm, and collected- The part of her that was cruel, and reckless, and gets whatever she wants, whenever she wants, and does _anything_ to get it. The part of herself that she loathed since childhood, the part that she buried deep inside of her, only being slightly brought back during battle.

Meredith laughed, "_Please_, I wouldn't expect that from you. I'm not insanely delusional." By the time she said this, she was half-facing the vampire.

"Really? You know," Damon said softly, putting his arms around her waist, "there are other things a vampire can crave besides blood."

Meredith suppressed a shiver. At times like this, she did what she usually did to make geeks who couldn't say "no" go away. She went into "Sarcastic Mode".

"And what is that? Being able to follow **(**Dracula's **5)** footsteps?" She said, making sure that her tone indicated that his arms around _did not_ _change_ _anything_.

Damon chuckled. "Wrong." He whispered in my ear, which didn't help me at all. "I crave for women who 'is cruel, and reckless, and gets whatever she wants, whenever she wants, and does _anything_ to get it.'"

Every cell in my body tensed up. Then, I got angry.

I whirled around to face him completely, to give him a piece of her mind (Not that he hadn't already took one- _without_ her permission.) But suddenly, she felt something soft touch her lips- Damon's lips.

Meredith was too shocked to respond right away, and it took a whole lot more than just a kiss, a _kiss_, to make the huntress go in complete shock.

But, this is Damon we're talking about. **(**Damon the arrogant, immortal pervert that's always unashamed to admit that he was staring at your ass. **6)**

When Damon finally pulled over, his eyes looked soft and endless. Meredith could almost imagine seeing stars.

And then, it happened. Meredith wasn't sure how, or more importantly _why_ it happened, but Meredith found herself pushing Damon to the ground, and kissing him as if her life depended on it.

Tongues battled. Clothes were ripped. Groans and moans escaped from their lips, only to be absorbed by the mouth of the other person. The only clothes that they were left wearing was their underwear, which was wet from either sweat or… **(**Something else. **7)**

Damon was on top now licking her neck, at the same time bucking his hips, and Meredith couldn't help but shiver and shudder at his touch. Then, Damon started to take of her panties, which snapped Meredith to reality.

Even with her limited strength, Meredith was able to push Damon off of her. She stared at her hands. They were shaking.

That was when she started to let quiet tears fall down, and then she started to sob- out loud.

What was _wrong_ with her? She never lets herself cry in front of others; at least, at the times that she _did_ cry openly, she _actually fought it_, not giving in until she was exhausted. But, she just felt so weak so… _vulnerable_.

Meredith wasn't able to peel of _his_ layers, but _he_ certainly knew how to peel of the layers of others.

A huge wave of pure rage went through her, temporarily making the feeling of despair subside.

"Are you happy now?" She growled, tears still sliding down her face. "Are you happy, now that you've seen me at a weak point? That right now, I'm almost naked, crying a your feet?" She sniffed, and then laughed bitterly. "You've been daydreaming about this for months yes? About how I'm gonna look, crying and weak. Well, you got it- Now get out!"

Damon just stood there, with finely chiseled face, and oh-so-_irritatingly_-finely carved body, and his endless black eyes, which looked at her with something Meredith couldn't comprehend.

"I said get out." She said coolly, finally regaining her composure. "Or maybe both of your manners and your hearing dropped dead when you did."

Damon's mouth twitched as if he wanted to laugh, or he was irritated. Meredith hoped that it was the latter.

"Are you happy this way?" Damon asked.

"I-"

"No." Damon said softly, "You're not. You want to be free don't you? To be your true self, to be free of responsibilities and rules, and to just live your life without flinching at every mistake that you've ever done."

That was when the cool, calm Meredith Sulez, finally snapped. "And," Meredith said in a low threatening voice. It was weird really, how the more angry she gets, the lower her voice becomes, instead of the opposite. "What right do _you_ have to tell me this? To assume that I-"

"Because I'm the same." Damon said curtly- his volume almost at a shouting level.

Meredith stared at him. Damon? Wanting to be free? Damon- Conscious of every mistake that he'd done?

It was so ironic that Meredith wanted to laugh.

But the look on Damon's face erased every laughing ounce in Meredith's body. He looked… depressed. No, that's not the word. The word was… _desperate_.

He looked angry, miserable, weak, and tired all at the same time.

"_Damon. The boy in chains."_ Elena's voice whispered.

Meredith remembered how Elena said that sentence when she was about to die, and how Meredith poked fun and said _'Oh my God, she was willing to die for a metaphor.' _

Well, that metaphor was right in front of her now. And she wasn't laughing.

Instead, she slowly, cautiously walked over to him, and said, "I'm sorry." And, as she said it, Meredith realized that she meant it.

Damon stared at her as if she just grown a second head. Then, he blinked.

That night, no words were needed. Damon simply cupped her cheek and said, "We're two peas in a pod." His sarcastic attitude came back and he said, "Of course, I would be the bigger and fuller pea." And smiled evilly.

When they locked eyes, Meredith was amazed of the fact that they shared so much in one glance, without needing the words. Then, their lips merged into one once more.

_Maybe this is what Elena meant,_ Meredith thought, remembering the time when The Ice Queen was talking about her understanding Stefan and vice versa without the need for words.

Damon took of her underwear. Meredith took of his underwear. Kisses. Groans. Screams. Gasps. Whispers. His touch. Her nails digging on his back. Their bodies merging into one.

_Maybe I do love… no. Right now I just want to enjoy this… intimacy with him. Do the thinking later._

And she did.

-END-

So… Good? Great? Lame? Worst ever?

Hope you enjoyed :3

R&R!

And don't forget to check out my profile! :3

Sylvette-Cross out!


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